


New Face in Town

by ilyena_sylph, Merfilly



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-21
Updated: 2014-03-21
Packaged: 2018-01-16 11:17:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1345498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilyena_sylph/pseuds/ilyena_sylph, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>High School AU where Slade's the new guy in town with a new job ahead of him. He meets Dinah and her entourage during the summer. Then things get dicey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Face in Town

**Author's Note:**

> This was a free-hearted little AU we were having fun with before/after the Olympics one year. Nothing happens between the teacher/student here, though there is a heavy wish for it on both sides. Discontinued for reasons unknown, but the boys are too pretty to not share.

He was new to the city, fresh out of college and his student teaching a few counties over. He had moved a little before the school year was to start, to get a feel for the city, to get settled in, and find the gym, the local 'Y', and other diversions.

He had a place he was renting, comfortable enough in its sparse way, and close to both the school and one of the shopping districts. He'd been out running the area since he'd moved in, learning this part of the city from the ground up. The gym he'd found and liked best, run by a former champion boxer, was a little further than he wanted to run when he was headed for a workout, though. And the 'Y' was the opposite direction. There were some fine kids involved with the events there, though. Well worth watching, hopefully recruiting.

When the rain set in, he decided it would be a good time to go to the gym and check it out again. He got there very early, when the pre-work crowd was there, and saw the owner himself in the ring…against a young woman half his size and damn good with both feet and fists. 

He leaned back against the wall to watch the match--like almost all of the few there so early. He'd fought saber and foil through college and done judo on his own time, boxing wasn't one of the styles he knew well, but it was easy to see just how good she was, the strength in her--and the fire.

"Easy, Hellcat!" the ex-champ joked, as he dodged a quick combo that nearly had him stumbling. "Time to shower off, if you're going to make it out of here on time!"

"Gotcha, Uncle Ted." The young woman bounced away, bouncing in place to settle out the residual readiness, as she shucked the heavy gloves. "Getting better, yet?"

"Hellcat, you get any better, and I'll be sponsoring you against Ali." That got the raven-haired boxer to laugh on her way out of the ring.

He noted the familial reference, filed it away, and turned away to go through the routine he'd been missing once the pretty brunette was out of sight. He was well into it by the time she emerged, dressed very professionally in nice slacks and a pretty blue blouse. The young woman kissed her uncle on the cheek, gave a wistful look around the gym…and stopped as she spotted him. It was quite evident she had picked him out as 'new', and was frankly cataloguing him with the eye of a woman who had grown up around athletes and fighters.

He looked right back at her, letting the weights slide to a resting position as he studied her. He'd guess her age was around twenty, between the professional clothing and the poise and her skill in the ring. //Very, very pretty,// he couldn't help but notice. If she trained here, he'd see her often enough, and she apparently had somewhere else she had to be…

She gave him a smile that was both welcoming and polite all in one, a genuine warmth of personality shining through, with just a hint of caution. She then turned and headed out, matching 'goodbyes' with her own, and using names for the ones who spoke to her.

He didn't, quite, watch her go.

* * *

It wasn't that small a city. Running into a complete stranger twice in a week took talent. If he hadn't gotten news that his old friend was in the hospital, he might not have seen the brunette again, save for the gym. But, in the interest of annoying said friend in the hospital, he thought sending flowers would be nice.

Which led to their second encounter.

She was working steadily on a floral arrangement, and looked up when the door jingled.

"Welcome to the Black Canary. What can I do for you?"

He felt his smile turn slightly wicked as he replied. "I need something disgustingly cheerful; any thoughts?"

She gave him a smile, and it lit up her face. "Is it for another athlete, a 'friend', or both?" she asked him, putting a slide into the word 'friend' to give it extra meaning without insulting him.

"Old teammate. Good guess. He'll be fine, but he's laid up for a few days."

"I see." She moved toward an arrangement that looked quite cheerful without being incessantly feminine. "This might be right up your alley…enough frou-frou to tease that he's laid up, but shows you're not rubbing it in too much."

He couldn't help the way the smile widened as she picked up the arrangement. "I think you're right... that's very much what I was thinking." 

She turned, and gave him another smile in return. "I try to know my customers, Mister…"

"Slade Wilson, Miss...? And that was a pretty good guess for someone you've seen once, for a couple of minutes." He was impressed.

"Dinah Lance…picked up a few tricks here and there on reading people." She led him back to her register, an old fashioned machine that let her punch everything in manually.

He pulled out enough cash to cover the flowers and the delivery if she did them--it would tweak his old friend harder if he had it sent than if he showed up with it. "You deliver? Or will I have to show up with it?"

"No. I've got someone." She added the fee on, and it was a more modest one than he expected. "Any note?"

"Mind if I borrow a pen?"

She glanced around the register, then pulled the pen that was clipped to her blouse neck line for him. "There."

The door jangled loudly as it was opened abruptly. "Sorry I'm late, Di...practice got away from me!" The speaker was a young, athletic redhead, one Slade thought he had seen at the 'Y'.

He'd turned as the door started to jangle, watching it, then turned his attention back to the card in front of him and the quick, decisive scrawl as he wrote out the note to his old friend, and tucked it into the envelope, handing her the pen back. 

She tucked the pen back where she had gotten it from, before smiling again. "Roy, got a delivery for you…"

"Great! Where to?" The teen came over and stuck his hand out. "Roy Harper-Lance," he introduced himself.

"Slade Wilson," he took the hand and shook, pleased by the strength of the teen's grip. "You're headed over to Our Lady, room 732, after that collision your center-fielder had yesterday."

"Oh my g…Yes sir…be more than honored to take these over to Mister Allen's room!" Roy took the arrangement carefully. "See you for lunch, Di…" He headed out as quick as he had come in.

"He'll be on cloud nine. He's crazy about sports." Dinah gave a small smile of absolute fondness for the younger boy.

Slade's eyes were absolutely gleaming at the thought of what that tall, broad-shouldered young man walking in with those flowers would do to Barry's state of mind at the moment. "Most young men are, one way or the other. Central or Metro?"

"Central." She shook her head. "Comes by it honest. Archery, relay runner, most field events…"

"I thought I'd seen him on the 'Y' range. Well, at least it's not a Metro boy seeing him laid up, though Bar'll still yell."

"Likely." The brunette moved from behind the counter to go back to her arranging. "So you are new in town, right? What brought you to Ted's?"

"Yes, I'm new. I did some looking before I moved, your…uncle's..? gym sounded like my best bet for a pick-up spar in my styles...and possibly lessons in one of the styles I don't know well from a champion. And I liked the setup once I walked in."

"Yeah, Ted's my uncle. And you're right. Lots of the guys in there will pick up the ring with just about anyone." She glanced at him between settling the blooms as she wanted them. "What styles? I'm always looking for new partners."

"Judo, savate, a little from other styles, and saber and foil. Those I'll probably have to find a dojo for," he admitted.

Dinah looked impressed…and pleased. "Judo?" She smiled. "My uncle says I should box professionally, but I do carry a belt in Judo. As for a dojo…if you're not adverse to one owned by a woman, I can recommend you to Polly's salle."

"Then we'll have to try a match some time. With the bout you gave Grant, though, I might be in trouble... and so long as the woman is capable, why would I object?"

The brunette shrugged. "Some do. And I've been boxing my uncle for more years than he can probably remember. Judo…that is where I prefer to stretch myself."

Slade snorted at the idiocy of some people, refraining from the comment he wanted to make. "Then I'll enjoy the challenge. Are you normally there that early?"

"Have to be. Too much to do with my day," she told him ruefully. "If you make it in, I'll be glad to run a bout with you…if not, then c'est la vie, as they say, and I'll keep trying to make Ted proud."

"I'll make it in…and I do need to run. See you at the gym?"

"I look forward to it, Mister Wilson." She held her own hand out to him. "It was a pleasure talking to you."

"Pleasure's all mine, Miss Lance. And thank you again for the perfect touch with the flowers." He walked out with a smile, already thinking ahead to the teacher's meeting he was barely going to make on time.

* * *

Roy was almost bursting with energy by the time he got free of shop duties and over to his best friend's house…Manor, actually. Dick Grayson-Wayne, middle scion of the Wayne family, had been Roy's closest friend since they were in preschool. He had been somewhat more than that in recent years, but that was a closely guarded secret.

By the time he was through the gates, Dick was bounding out the back door in a streak of tanned skin and swimming trunks and a towel around his shoulders. "Hey, man! Thought you'd still be at the shop!" was yelled as he got closer, and he skidded to a stop just in front of Roy.

Roy gave a lopsided grin. "Finished up in record time, and Di shooed me out!" He wanted to grab Dick and dance him around like a kid again. "Man, you will NOT believe who I met today!!!"

"Yeah? Who?" Dick grinned at him, reaching out to loop an arm around his shoulders and head back towards the house again.

"Barry FREAKIN' Allen! Man, am I lucky, or what?" Roy could not help being loud.

"...You're kidding. But he's still in the hospital..." Dick's smile widened at his best friend's joy. As the Wayne's middle son, he'd met more movie stars, sports stars, and the like than he could count, but this was awesome for Roy--especially since Barry 'Flash' Allen was a graduate of the High School they'd be headed to in the fall.

"Yeah I know. This dude was in, buying flowers to send him, from my sis." Roy grinned brightly. "Should have seen Allen just …groan, at the flowers and me carrying them…"

Dick grinned back, dragging Roy up towards the manor. "Garth was over earlier, just left, even, so I was still in the pool. Wanna go swim, or check out the game we just got in?"

"Game…" Because that meant they'd be alone, with loud noises to cover any other noises they might make.

"Figured," Dick said with a grin, and the two young teens headed up to Dick's room. The manor was huge and ancient, though completely modernized, and Dick's room was up several floors. He stopped a moment on the floor below his, listening, then shook his head. "The Terrible Trio is at it again. I'm surprised they're not at the skate park like usual. Alfred must be pulling his hair out."

"He's not got a lot left…" Roy waited until Dick got the door locked before he gripped his best friend close and kissed him soundly.

Roy was more than willing to settle for loud music as he and Dick found ways to burn off his energy.

* * *

More than a little while later, Dick was curled up against and over Roy's body, sweat cooling on his skin. "Mm..." he purred softly, head tucked against his neck. "Can't believe we've only got a couple weeks left this summer..."

"…and not word one about a new track and J.V. coach..." Roy trailed off, thinking of how that would impact them. "I mean, can't you wheedle it out of your Mom? She's on the Board."

"I've been trying and trying... she finally caved a little. They went with a young guy, straight out of college even, but somebody on the team pulled strings to get him hired." Dick was so not sure he was okay with this rookie thing.

"Well, he's got to have something…I mean, most of the team are Central or Metro alums," Roy pointed out. "And the Board wouldn't let a Met guy screw us over."

"Sure wouldn't. And I guess, if the guy turns out all right, it'll be good to have him around for a few years before Coach has to retire. And it's not like we don't know how to set our own practices for track..."

"True." Roy nuzzled into Dick. "We'll do fine."

"So weird, that Gar and Kori'll be on the other side of the stands, now..."

Roy stroked his best friend's hair. "Point. And Jesse and Rach too."

"Well, yeah. Just glad Garth and Wally'll both still be with us. Jenny and Todd, too, not that they ever run with us. ...Did I tell you what my freaky-smart little brother convinced mom and dad to let him do?"

Roy groaned. "What this time?"

"He convinced them to let him take the tests to jump grades... he's going to be going with us!!" Dick sounded about as betrayed and dismayed as any fourteen-year-old boy could at the thought of his barely-thirteen-year-old brother in classes with him.

"Man, that is so not cool. Bad enough the freak's almost caught us how many times?" Roy looked dismayed, then brightened. "Well, Mom's never home, and Di knows, so we could go there…"

"Yeah, we could... and no, it's not cool. He's just lucky everyone'll be too spooked of pissing Bruce off to mess with him, or he'd be in soo much trouble. ..That's probably why the rest of the Trio's here, he's telling them," Dick realized.

"Prob'ly." Roy yawned. "Speaking of Di, I need to get back…she shouldn't have to open tomorrow, not when I don't have practice."

"Want me to get Alfie to take you home? It's late, and that's a long run..." Dick's arms had tightened on him almost despite himself.

"Nah, man...you know it makes Di uncomfortable right now, for any of the adults to come around."

Dick sighed, nuzzling into him. "I don't think Alfie counts, not for that... not like he'd notice anything just running you home, but okay."

Roy gave him a kiss, letting it linger, before he got up to dress. "Should get out of the shop early if it's as slow as it has been. She won't keep me if she doesn't have deliveries."

"Alright. See you over at the Y? Or should I just meet you over there?" 

"Meet me?"

Dick grinned up at him, sprawled backwards on the bed artlessly. "Sure, sounds good." 

Roy grinned at him, and made himself leave, rather than get back in bed. He really, did not want Dinah at home alone.

Dick dragged himself out of bed and back into clothes, catching up with Roy within a few steps to head out with him. It would look a little too weird, otherwise.

* * *

Dinah was leaning on the wall, watching Ted and some other older man sparring. Considering she was cheering them on rather indiscriminately, and both kept calling her 'Junior', Slade could figure the other man was more of her kin.

He headed into the locker room to drop the bag of day-clothes, then headed back out towards her and stopped a foot or two away "Good morning."

"Morning, Mister Wilson." She gave him a very warm smile, having evidently decided he was deserving of it. "We'll take the second ring, while my uncles continue to prance in this one."

"Junior!" Ted growled, which allowed the other man a glancing blow.

"Junior, you make one more prancing comment, and I'll be sure Molly doesn't make that casserole you like so much for a month."

"Aww…" She laughed merrily, before preceding her partner to the other ring.

Slade just smiled slightly, amused at her, and joined her in the ring. "Standard competition rules?"

"That suits me. I'm a little rusty. I haven't competed since last winter." There was a brief shadow on her eyes, before she shook her head and took up first form.

 

Slade nodded, bowed slightly, and took the first move. Dinah threw herself into the fight as seriously as if it were for a belt standing, and proved herself to be competitive at his level.

For her part, the young woman had been thinking heavily about the handsome stranger in town. It was a pleasant distraction from trying to take care of business, her brother, and keeping nosey people from knowing her mother was never home.

Despite how good she was--amazing that she could compete so well so far out of her weight class--the advantages he had on her were enough to let him finally get a good throw and a pin... When he looked at his watch, they'd gone over time... not insignificantly, and he was feeling it. He was also far from immune to the lovely woman under him, not that he betrayed that.

"Match to you," she said, slightly breathless, and not, if she were honest, completely from the fall and match.

He shifted away, then stood, offering her a hand. "You're very good. Do you normally train so far out of your weight?"

She accepted his hand, pulling herself up gracefully, even though it brought her far closer to him than she thought might be safe at the moment, considering how he was affecting her. She moved away, going to grab a towel for her sweat drenched neck.

"I started boxing at a very young age, Mister Wilson. After I kicked my uncle in the middle of a match, he insisted I learn to fight, and use that. Since Dad was on the force at the time, my first teachers were big, burly cops over at the Academy." 

"In other words, yes." He shook his head slightly, still amused by her, and watched her move, then went to get a towel of his own. "Definitely a good match. Who do you normally run kata against?"

"Haven't really had a steady partner for most of the year," she said softly. "Still my preferred workout, but Ted…well, I box with him."

He could hear the loss, and dropped the question. "I did notice... and we've had an audience."

Dinah paused, looked around in a pose that spoke of being accustomed to attention. "These guys know a good fighter when they see it, Mister Wilson…and you are the best to come through those doors in a long while." Her voice was flattering, but not in a superficial manner. She had enjoyed the workout in a way she had not enjoyed much for a long time.

"Mm. I had a good opponent." He was every bit as used to it, probably more than she was, actually, and not bothered at all.

"Yes, you did." She gave him another smile, and this time…she knew her eyes said more than just pride in herself and pleasure in the match, but she could not help it. She was so jaded, so accustomed to knowing her social life was mapped out, that to meet a man who could affect her like this…. It did not even matter that he had to be a little older than her.

"Rematch, another day this week?"

"I'd be glad to, Mister Wilson." She stepped out of the ring, accepting the hand down that two of the men immediately offered her. She breezed to the locker room to get ready for work, while the uncles both surveyed the man that had gotten their Hellcat back into ring so nicely. This stranger in town might very well be just what Dinah needed, in the aftermath of losing her father earlier that year.

* * *

Roy nudged Dick as he saw the man from the shop come in. Dick paused in his stretching to take in the young man with blond hair. He could not be sure, but he thought he had seen the man on some of the college sports programs he sometimes followed, maybe playing for University. It fit, if the guy knew Barry "Flash" Allen like that.

"Sprints today before I spot you on your stuff?" Roy asked his best friend. 

"Yeah, sounds good. We'll see if we can't shave a little more off your time, huh?" Dick was grinning as he said it.

"Hey man, I just got to be able to get the baton to Wally…he'll win the race for us from there." Roy grinned back.

Dick laughed at that, head tossing as he finished stretching out and headed for the track at an easy jog.

Slade had seen the boys, recognizing the redhead from the flower shop. He was here for the weights today, but he wanted to see if the boy was as athletic as his sister. Maybe he could recruit the kid for Central's sports program, if he wasn't already, if the kid had half his sister's potential.

Dick dropped to the blocks, waiting for Roy to settle, and whistled at one of the guys to time, counted off with him--then they were moving, everything thrown into a dead run. Slade watched, saw the formal training was there, and actually hoped they were both running for Central in the fall quite fervently. Both boys had speed, and the brunette looked to have the easy pace of a man able to keep distances. He made his way to the timer, watching as the boys made their circuit.

"They run here often?"

"Yeah…been running here probably as long as they've been running for the junior high," the kid said. "Too bad they're freshes now."

Slade turned his eyes back to the two boys, taking in all that potential. They had an easy partnering in their run, too, that he liked the look of. With luck, the crazy districting between Central and Metro had not split this pair up.

The two worked from the 500m down to pure 100m sprints, the brunette looking mildly annoyed at the times he got back and shaking his head once they finished there. He stretched differently, quickly, and headed towards the gymnastics equipment near the weights, chalking his hands, then moved straight for the rings. The redhead gave him the lift up easily, stepping back, and the brunette started through a routine.

Slade had followed, nodding at the redhead, and saw now as the brunette honed another, different sport through the easy practice of long familiarity.

The new coach of Central was fairly certain he owed Barry a very expensive dinner. He had been around athletes all his life, and never seen one with the amount of raw ability the brunette put into both running and gymnastics. Being an Olympic hopeful himself, Slade was very surprised not to see a trainer hovering protectively and militantly in the wings.

The redhead's eyes never left the brunette, and he frowned at one point, obviously not liking something he saw, but he kept his mouth shut until the brunette dropped in a flashy dismount--and stuck it perfectly. "Flyboy..." 

"What, Bowhead?" the brunette flashed an innocent smile and rolled his shoulder. 

"You know what."

"I'm fine. Little twinge, it's nothing. Come on, I need to work on that vault."

"Not with that shoulder acting up, if you don't mind me saying so," Slade drawled, interjecting himself. "Practice on it too much, you'll lose any shot at competing in national trials." He held his hand out. "Slade Wilson. Been watching you today; great form and moves."

Dick turned, flashing a smile up, "Doesn't hurt anywhere near bad enough for me to not finish my usual," even as he was taking his hand. "And I don't compete, especially not at that kind of level, but thanks!"

"Really?" Slade let it go at that, seeing it as a waste of potential, but he had dealt with pressure over his athletic choices…pressures that had eventually cost him the woman he had thought he would marry eventually. "I'm surprised, but everyone has their own path to pick." He looked at the redhead. "Thanks for delivering the flowers, Kid. It distracted him to have me to cuss at like that, much as he can bring himself to cuss."

"No problem…it was great to meet the Flash!" Roy said happily.

Dick shrugged, not really willing to discuss the problem of being who he was with basically a complete stranger, though he was still grinning from the compliment. "Yeah, he hasn't been able to talk about anything else," he teased his best friend lightly.

"Well!" Roy defended himself, none too well.

Slade chuckled. "I should let you get back…do take it easy on that shoulder, Kid…believe me, shoulder injuries have a way of snowballing."

"You've got a point. A'ight, bowhead, you two win. Back to the track, or outside?"

"I say outside," Roy told him. "Been in here too long." 

"Enjoy. And Kid…tell that sister of yours I won't be in the gym tomorrow morning, but I do still want a rematch, maybe the day after," Slade told Roy.

"It's your funeral," Roy told him cheerfully.

Dick blinked, "You sparred Dinah? And you're still walking? Wow, I'm impressed. K, Roy."

The blonde nodded. "She's good," he agreed before parting ways with the boys.

* * *

The last few weeks of summer were interesting ones for the man as he settled into the city. He ran…often passing the flower shop and ducking in when he saw Dinah did not have customers pressing her for time. She kept water for him after the third time, enjoying his company when he did stop in.

They had bonded well in the gym. Every time they sparred, or even just when they watched each other moving through separate routines, the pair could not help but talk. Slade got the impression of a woman with her head on straight, one trying to make up for an absent mother, because he had yet to see anyone with Roy as a parental type other than his older sister. Dinah, on the other hand, saw a burning drive in the highly competitive man that made her respect him more and more.

Roy and Dick were busy with city competitions, getting into normal teenage trouble as the last summer of friendship started giving way to good-natured rivalry with the ones who would be going to Metro instead. All in all, it was a happy time for both pairs.

And pair it seemed to truly be, in the case of Slade and Dinah. Roy saw it every time he came in while Slade was there, just how charged things could be in a simple word. He knew his sister was never really serious about her dating…she went out when the rest of her clique did, dating either Ollie or Bruce, but neither of them really excited her.

Slade did more than that; he made Dinah smile and look forward to visits or trips to the gym. Neither had said a word, as they had only met so recently, but Roy knew it was hovering right there, this budding thing that made his sister happy.

* * *

"…no, Ollie. I understand. That's fine…I'll talk to you later, alright?" 

The conversation from Dinah on the phone had pricked Slade's ears as he entered. He had taken his run late, and knew she should have been closed, but her lights were on, and the sign had not been flipped yet. She noted him as she hung the phone up and smiled with a tinge of exhaustion.

"Hi."

"Evening... everything all right?"

She made a grimace. "Just a friend with a bit more flakiness than he ought to have." She then smiled at him. "Had a late customer, or you might not have caught me tonight." She started moving arrangements to the cooler or the waste table, so she could salvage their containers, remembering to flip the sign and lock the door in one pass.

"I was surprised to see the lights still on," he admitted. "Need a hand with those?"

"You don't mind? Roy is out at the movies with his friends…school starts Monday." She made another small frown at that, but shook it off quickly. "An extra hand would be nice…haven't been able to break for anything resembling food today. Though I am grateful for all the business…" She rambled on, knowing it was rambling, but also very light headed and needing to focus to stay on track. She hated to admit it, but she had been looking forward to Ollie taking her out, as the money had been running thin for groceries in the house. She had given Roy the last full twenty she had on hand for his outing, without telling him that.

"I wouldn't have offered if I did," Slade replied as he moved over to help her. "That cafe on the corner's open for another hour, right? Care to join me?"

"Oh I couldn't." The protest was immediate, even as her eyes said other things. He could read the stiff pride in her that made her decline, but that sharp wish to spend time with him was as real as any thing else. She joined him at the table, pulling a trash bin over, to start stripping the arrangements that would not keep another day.

"Why not? You said yourself you haven't eaten, no offense intended, but you look far too tired to cook, and I could use the company..."

"I…" She looked at him with a small sigh of defeat. "Alright. I will." She could borrow a few dollars out of the working fund, she figured. It would just mean one less arrangement counting toward bills. They were staying up on top, and she was going to have to pin her mom down anyway…

"Good." Slade smiled at her as he worked on stripping the flowers out of the containers with her. "Need to do anything else with these?" he indicated the empty containers as they finished.

"No…I'll clean them as I get ready to reuse them." She gathered up the trash bag to take it out back. "Thank you, again, Slade."

He watched her take the bag out and come back in, annoyed with himself for not having gotten to it fast enough. "No trouble, Dinah. Shall we?"

"Hold on, hot shot…" she teased, going to empty the till into her safe. She discreetly grabbed a twenty as she did, so that she could pay her way. "Now we can." She came to his side, her keys ready, so that she could lock up on the way out.

He chuckled softly, having turned enough away not to watch her twist the safe open. "Good, I think we're both starving."

She let him escort her out, pausing to lock the door, then walked at his side toward the café. "You were out late tonight. Hope everything is okay."

"Everything's fine, a meeting ran longer than I'd expected, and threw off the rest of my day."

"I'm glad you still decided to take your run," she said, before blushing faintly at how sincere she meant those words.

"So am I, since it got me dinner with excellent company." //And beautiful,// was what he didn't say.

"Flatterer," she teased him softly, but she was smiling up at him. The way she moved just that much closer to him in their walking was one more in a long line of little steps, leading them toward something neither wanted to name just yet.

"Truth," Slade replied as they walked, looking down at her.

"I'd say I was the one with the excellent company," she admitted, just before they reached the café.

"Most of the teams I've ever played against would disagree," Slade said with a laugh as he opened the door for her.

"And I bet you were MVP on your own more than once," she said with a smile. The night, which had begun with a broken date, was looking up in all ways possible, and distracting Dinah from a long overdue meeting she was going to have to force with her mother. "So…judo, fencing, running, and baseball? Any more sports?"

Slade chuckled, shaking his head. "They keep trying to talk me into football--and worse, rugby. I don't mind watching, but no interest in playing. And I've dabbled in a few others, none seriously though."

"Soccer is the one hobby I let myself get talked into, seriously. Not enough contact in most of the other girl sports, and I'm a little short for bee ball." She sipped at her drink, watching him as she often did, memorizing the way his face animated when he did talk about sports.

"You'd manage, if you wanted, though I can see why a coach might be a little reluctant, especially in this town. You all take your sports seriously...." He'd gotten a thorough education in that over the last few weeks. "Soccer, hm? What position?"

"Goalie. I might be short, but I'm fast, and have the strength for jumps if I have to." She was proud of being the shortest goalie in the division.

"I already know how fast you are," he replied with a smile as he ordered quickly, looking at her for hers.

"Yes, you do," she said before telling the waiter what she wanted, already well acquainted with the cheapest, most filling meal on the menu.

"I certainly chose the right gym, given the sparring partner I found. ...Or maybe simply the right flower shop."

She met his eyes with a smile on her lips, one that was soft and knowing. "It's made my life a happier place, Slade. I really enjoy both your visits and the sparring."

"That's definitely mutual, Dinah, and I'm glad." He was. He enjoyed the morning matches with her, and dropping by to talk to her during his run. It made a nice break from the concrete.

Impulsively, she reached over and squeezed his hand, briefly, before dropping back into her space as the food arrived. His hand tangled with hers for a moment, then let go, devoting his attention to his food for the next few moments.

When the check arrived, she insisted on paying her part, as he had suspected she would. Her fierce independence had been visible from the beginning of their acquaintance.

"Let me buy next time?"

"We'll see," she said, impish in her tone, but delighted to think of a next time. "Walk me home?" she invited.

"I thought I would, if you'd let me," Slade agreed.

"I would like you to," she told him, her voice just a shade more intent than she really meant to let out.

"Then I will." He stood up to pull her chair back, then lightly took her arm. She took it, and did not move away from him as he escorted her out of the café. She could not quite help just how hard her heart was racing, and cursed herself inwardly for being so stupid over a man she had only met a few weeks prior.

She just knew Babs was going to enjoy teasing her on this, and that Bruce and Ollie both were yesterday's news in more ways than one.

He let her guide, given that he was fairly certain they didn't live directly over the shop, and was proven right when she turned differently on the street, then studied the absolutely lovely classic motorcycle in the driveway she headed for. "Yours?" his voice curious.

"No." Her voice was tense. "Dad was looking at one for me…" She cut herself off, then leaned up so she could press a quick kiss to his cheek. "Look, that's my mom's bike…and it might get ugly. See you in the gym, if I can…and see you around if not."

"I'll see you, Dinah." He almost considered offering to head Roy off, then dismissed it. The boy surely had enough sense not to get between two fighting women.

She squared her body much as she did when she faced Ted in the ring, and crossed up to the door, going inside. What was to be said was best argued now, before her mom had a chance to get away and take up her mission of finding Dad's killers again.

* * *

As luck had it, the remainder of the weekend conspired to keep Dinah out of the gym, and Slade off the streets for his run. Monday morning, with the need to make a good impression, Slade skipped the gym to be at school early. He settled into his classroom, knowing he had mostly freshmen classes, though one senior class had been tossed his way, for seniors taking the AP version of World History. He busied himself at his desk as the students filtered in, glancing up now and then to see how they were behaving.

The sound of laughter that had grown familiar to him echoed through the open doorway moments before the pair he'd so hoped were both Central students came through it, the brunette turned sideways to talk to the redhead.

He smiled to himself; that made one thing easier on him, to have both in his class. His smile faded some when Roy looked up, recognized him, and started rattling off another language fast and furious.

The brunette's head snapped around, eyes like chips of ice, body tense for a moment before he relaxed and reached backwards for Roy's shoulder, "Breathe, 'mano, breathe...Morning, Mister Wilson," he flashed a smile towards the desk, and Slade's sharp eyes saw the way the rest of the students already there stopped giving him the sidelong looks at the sound of the brunette's voice greeting him familiarly. "C'mon, Roy," he coaxed, tugging the redhead towards the back of the room.

"Good morning, Dick, Roy." Slade gave them both a nod; he'd find out what that had been about later. Roy was settling, slumping into the desk like a normal teenager, turning his attention to Dick under the noise of the others settling.

"I am not looking forward to telling her he's my teach!" he growled at Dick, very softly. 

Dick leaned across the aisle, hand settling on his shoulder, "I know, 'mano. I don't think I'd heard some of that before..."

"She's been…and he's been…and it's just going to…" Roy looked miserable.

Dick sighed, rubbing at his shoulder, "I know, I know..." and Dick, too, shifted languages as he tried to calm Roy down before the bell rang.

Class did start on time, and both boys saw a new side of Slade, as all that intensity they had seen in the gym came to the fore in his teaching. The man did not seem to have a casual setting when he was actually working at something. He greeted them all, and pulled his roll sheet up.

"So I can be sure I have the ones I'm supposed to, say 'here' or 'present' as I hit your names." He called it off, and managed to keep his surprise in check at stumbling onto Richard Grayson-Wayne. He had only known the boy by his competition name, having gotten that much from the manager of the 'Y', and had not known the boy was related to one of the three wealthiest families in the city. The corollary that the 'Bruce' and 'Ollie' Dinah mentioned so often might be the Wayne and Queen heirs, respectively, did cross his mind.

As his name was called, Dick winced. "Present, and can you please strike that? It's Dick...."

"Noted." Slade continued on, getting a mumbled 'present' out of Roy, which he let slide. Roy's behavior was odd, but Slade could only assume the boy was disgruntled to know his teacher outside of class.

* * *

He was waiting for the seniors to shuffle in, having read over the class list to look for any more surprises in his day--and the mix of the elite and the everyday that was seemingly becoming a trademark of the school had leapt out at him within moments. The Wayne heir, the daughter of one of the city's more prominent cops, a few others he recognized the names of were scattered through the class so casually. He was giving serious thought to dropping by Barry's and giving the man a piece of his mind for not warning him, when he heard yet more laughter that sounded familiar come through his doorway. //I have got to get her off my mind so much...// he thought, annoyed with himself as he watched the door...and he had to fight to keep his expression neutral as the person he'd just been thinking off rushed through the door with a taller redhead right behind her, dressed... like a teenager? //Christ, no...//

Dinah was still laughing at Babs for cooing at her for having taken up the challenge to take at least one college prep class when she looked up to find the teacher. She had gotten a waiver to join this class, and needed to turn it in…but she had never suspected the man she had dished over with Babs just the day before could possibly be the new teacher she had heard about most of the day.

"Oh god," she whispered softly, where only her best friend could hear her, before treating this like another part of the part she had to play day in and day out. //WHY?!// She made herself walk steady to the desk. "Mister Wilson, I'm supposed to be joining this class," she said in a firm voice, projecting a self-confidence she really did not feel right now. She had guessed an age difference of about five years, had never let that affect her decision to flirt with and pursue the thing between them, but even she knew this made it taboo on too many levels.

He reached up for the slip and scanned it, then nodded, "Seems you are, Miss Lance. Go ahead and sit down." //She's not this young!// most of him was protesting loudly. In all of their encounters, she'd given off the impression of early twenties, and carried it so well--//well, this explains Harper...// he thought wryly, as he tried to put everything he'd felt towards the captivating young woman under a firm lock and key.

Dinah settled into her seat, surrounded quickly by the redheaded girl and a boy who could only be the eldest Wayne scion. She was keeping her cool, managing to be the epitome of a high school senior accustomed to being the center of attention.

Never mind that she was having to lock down every bit of disappointment and shock she felt, to know the man who made her feel so good was now off limits to her.

* * *

There was a slight scuffle ahead, as the track members indulged high spirits, but it pushed her back into his body. The one thing about her that fit the age he now knew her to be was how tiny she was. A full foot shorter than himself, and yet it wasn't enough of a reminder. He felt that solid, curving flow of her tucked into his own body and it was all he could do to deny the fever she brought out in him.

He looked down as she tilted her head up and twisted to apologize. He saw the darker shade of her blue eyes, knew she wanted him as much as he wanted her, and it just increased the aching desire. The boys ahead of her finally moved into seats, and she took the bench opposite the one he wanted. 

He cursed himself for a fool for wanting her in his lap, that lithe body still snugly fitted to his own.

* * *

"C'mon, let's get these dishes out of the way," Roy said as he and Dick finished up a quick post-meet meal and went to do just that. Once those were out of the way, he scrambled up to his room with his boyfriend, thankful that, as usual, his mother wasn't there. Up there, he was quick to shut the door and turn on the radio a little loud, before he kissed Dick hard. 

Dick melted into that kiss while walking Roy backwards to the bed, tumbling onto it with him. The redhead was more than willing to cooperate with that plan, hands sliding under Dick's shirt in a fast hurry. Dick twisted to return that favor, hands sliding all along his body, against his skin 

"God, I want you," Roy panted, nipping at the shoulder of his lover through the tee shirt. 

"Yes," Dick whispered back, and moved enough to strip off his shirt, hands going after Roy's in the next breath. 

Roy let Dick get it off of him, then applied his fingers to the button and zipper of Dick's jeans. "You're so damn hot in just jeans..." he noted, pausing long enough to take in the cut of Dick's abs and chest. 

Dick stretched under him, posing with a smile up at him, "You think so? God, so are you..." his hands slid over the width of Roy's shoulders, down the hard muscle of his body... 

"Yeah, but they're in my way now," Roy growled, leaning in to kiss Dick while he got the fly completely open.

"Mm..." Dick purred, hands sliding to help get his partner out of his equally frustrating clothing. 

It didn't take the two boys that long to get down to nothing but skin, and then Roy was more willing to take his time. Kisses along hard muscle, caresses following sinew, and all the while he was moving, pressing close, exciting them both. 

Dick twisted, moved, ran his hands over his lover, wrapped around him tighter... but if Roy was feeling pushy, Dick was more than glad to oblige. 

Roy only paused long enough to retrieve a condom and the lube, before returning his attention to having Dick go wild. 

Dick arched up under him and clung to his shoulders, fingers finding the curve of his shoulder blades to cling to as he wrapped one leg up high around Roy's waist, kissing all over his throat and jaw. 

Once Roy had dressed himself and applied the lube generously, he pressed close. While he kissed Dick hard, he started to slide into him, moving slow to draw it out. 

Dick moaned softly, head tipping back as Roy slid into him. "God, 'mano. so good." 

"Yeah...god, but I can never get enough of you," Roy told him, sinking in deep and just barely moving his hips for a moment. 

"oh... oh. like I can? you.. god, Roy, move." 

"Yeah? Like this?" Roy pulled nearly out, and then sank back in, slow and easy. "Or this?" And with that he started rocking, setting an easy rhythm.

"ooh. god. That.. just like that, Roy, yeah... mm. God, been wanting you all day..." 

"Yeah, been needing you..." Roy moved, his pace increasing the more he felt Dick wanting to let go, the more he wanted to just bury himself deep and stay there. 

Dick whimpered softly, moving under his partner, clinging to him as he bit into his shoulder to stay quiet, shaking on that edge and trying to fight it off--he didn't want to stop... 

"Got all night, and god I'm going to want you to have me later," Roy whispered in Dick's ear before licking it. 

Dick bit him harder at that, body shaking under Roy as the thought and image and sense-memory, combined with what Roy was doing shoved him over. Roy followed him right over, gasping as he shook hard, everything turning white. When he finished, he laid over Dick, still inside him for the moment, and smiled happily. 

"Damn, 'mano, but we're great together...." 

"Yeah..." Dick replied softly, shifting enough to kiss him. "We are."


End file.
